Tropiclities

WHEN Count von Luckner stood up to speak, at the Pacific Islands Club reception, in Sydney, on June 1, he waved a friendly hand to a man nearby. “There is my old friend Tommy Home”, he said. “He was my good host, in Suva, over 20 years ago”. Mr.

Horne waved back, with equal cordiality.

“Tell them about the Japanese cargo steamer, Count!” he replied. The Count said “Ja, ja!” and chuckled hugely, but did not tell the story.

Mr. Horne was “host” to the famous Count in 1917 —he was in charge of the guard of the Fiji Defence Force, which held the ex-raider a prisoner until he could be shipped to New Zealand. The guard liked their prisoner, however, and allowed him many privileges. He was permitted to go aboard a Japanese steamer, and returned, very mellow and happy, with a description of “ze best viskey I have tasted ever”. And aboard that casual Japanese cargo-carrier, to his amazement, he had been shown an excellent photograph of himself and the “See Adler”. The Count’s respect for the Japanese secret service was out spoken.

When the Count first met his guard he was a little critical. “You are not trained soldiers”, he said. “No—but we shoot straight!” replied Sergeant Horne, grimly. • * * WHEN a French sailor was charged in Suva last month with opium smuggling, it was found that no one around the Court could speak French, and an Indian who had lived in a French colony was brought in as interpreter.

This recalls another incident in Fiji. Six men were charged with some offence; and as they comprised a Fijian, a Chinese, a Samoan, and three Indians who spoke different dialects, no less than six differ ent interpreters were brought into action at once. • • • HE dashed up to the bar of the gold fields hotel and hollered: — “Gimme a double-header, quick, before the trouble starts”

The bartender did, and he drank it “Gimme another double-header —before the trouble starts”.

Bartender, puzzled, did, and asked:— “Before what trouble starts?”

He replied sadly: “It’s started now. I ain’t got any money”. * * • A CAPTION, “Oxford Group News- Miracles in Papua”, in the “Austra lian Christian World”, of June 3, caught our eye. It is stated there that, between 1927 and 1931, the Kwato Mis sion “had become conventional and static” and “the little community became ineffective and disunited”. Then Mr.

Cecil Abel remembered something he had learned of the Oxford Group Movement and, “for a whole day he examined him

self in a Quiet Time in the light of the Pour Absolutes”. As a result, he and his chief Papuan assistant began to prac tise the principles of the Movement; oth ers joined in; the Movement spread into the surrounding native villages; and, in the last seven years, sorcery, brutality and debauchery have been, to a large extent, driven out. Sorcerers even have gone and apologised to the families of persons they have killed!! ♦ * * TAKING native girl servants South on holidays with one sometimes provides very amusing incidents (writes a planter’s wife from Eastern Papua). On one of my rare visits to Sydney, I had occasion to go out, leaving the flat and the girl alone. I showed her how to lock the door and told her not to open it for anyone.

During the morning there was a rap on the back door. Sticking her kinkly head out of the window, the girl, in a scolding voice, asked, “Who you?”

“I am the ice man”, announced the caller.

“You no nice man, you bad man. You go away quick time”.

The girl stood her ground, and the butter was soft for dinner that evening! * * * A STORY told by Captain L. C. P.

Tudway (Commander of H.M.S.

“Leith”) at a luncheon given by the United Services Institute, Sydney: When honoured visitors call at Auki (Malaita, Solomon Islands) natives beat the water at a certain place, and a shark presents himself—a friendly, understanding fish.

“He puts in to shore, rises to the sur face, and exhibits himself”, said Cap tain Tudway. “He even turns over to be patted. The natives can handle him like a pup, even though his weight is

about 250 lb. The children bathe with him, and even get on his back”.

With a little bright company promot ing, Malaita’s shark should become more valuable than Guadalcanal’s gold.